Sunday, August 20, 2017

Church "Hunting"

One of the hardest things that I have to get use to no being in Canada anymore, is finding a church home.    I've actually been dreading it as I don't like "church shopping".      With that being said, I have no plans, unless God directs me otherwise, to settle in a church that doesn't believe the foundational core beliefs that I believe.   It's unlikely that anyone will find a church that believes exactly the same as them, and that's expected, as that normally doesn't define if your saved or not.  I also want a church that has a strong belief in the Holy Spirit and actively pursues Him.   One other things that is key for me is a church where I feel free to worship freely.

This week I did a Google search of "Spirit Lead Church near Bloomington Normal, IL".    A handful of results came up that I checked out, but the one that I dug into the most and stuck out to me most was a church called House of Faith.   I read through most of their website and was intrigued.   However I was in debate all week and weekend, where I would actually go for church.    I wanted to go back to Northfield like last week ask I had fun there, especially connecting with old friends from when I use to go there years ago.    However this morning when I got up, I really felt like God directing me to go to the House of Faith -  I also felt a bit of this direction the night before.  The service started at 10am.   One of the things that had stuck out to me on the website of this church was they had a picture of a seemingly very interactive worship service.  

Well, the whole hour on the road to church I was getting more and more excited about being at this church today, especially there for the worship.   However when I pulled into the address that was on their website, no one was there.   There was a sign on the building saying it was House of Faith but no cars were there.   I walked up to the front doors and read the note that was there.  They said that they had relocated.    

Now I had tried maybe a little too much to go a little faster on the way to be able to make it there in good time and have some time to talk to someone and/or find my way around and such.  I had arrived 6 minute early.    

As I walked back to my car, I was felt crushed.  I felt a deep pain and sadness in me, as I was so looking forward to the worship there.  And now, with the other location being nearly 20 minutes away (and I had to stop at Walmart for a potty break), I knew for sure that I was going to miss worship.   I was really sad.  I didn't realize how much I had been longing for a free, true, alive worship service until I realized that I'm going to miss it this week.  

I consulted with God, and He told me that just because something doesn't happen the way I expected it to (or the way I wanted it to), doesn't mean that His direction comes to an end.  He still wanted me to go to this church.     On the way He really worked on me and challenged me to rid my grudge.  I didn't realize it, but right as soon as I saw they had moved locations, bitterness rose up in me against the church as, now I am deeply hurt because they had wrong information on their website.   But God brought me to forgiveness - and thank goodness, as I would of struggled to hear and find God all service and after had I not forgave the church before I got there.  

When I got to the new place, it was a hotel (that it appeared they were renting one of the big "party" rooms or something). The place just happens to be about 3 minutes away from where I go to college.   As I go in, I see someone at one hallway in the hotel, and I asked here where House of Faith was, and she took me in.  

I was amazed, they were still in worship - even though I was nearly half an hour late!   And not only that, I got to be there for at least another 30+ minutes of worship - it may have been longer, I didn't have watch on to see the time.    The pastor is black and has that amazing style of preaching (as does the congregation of about 60 people)!   I really liked it.  I really felt welcomed in and I like the teaching.    I'm not sure about the worship yet, as some of it will stretch me from what I'm use to, but I do know that God moved powerfully through it.  They also seemed to have a strong foundation with the Holy Spirit.    I also loved their prayers - they were so powerful!  

I will continue to pray about it, but I think it may be a church I could call home.

Oh, and the whole situation with the different building was explained.    48 hours prior to when I arrived, even the pastor didn't know that they were going to be in this hotel.    They had just sold their other building, and this week they needed somewhere to go.  Last minute this hotel worked out for them - so the website wasn't able to be changed yet.   They are also planning on using this hotel as there current location for the church.  

1 comment:

  1. So glad for you to have gotten to enjoy worship, even though you were late. And God was so good to prepare you by pointing out the bitter feelings that were starting up. I wanna pay more attention to His prompting in these ways! I so relate to LONGING to be in a worship service where you sense the presence of the HOly Spirit.
    I'm praying for you as you seek to discern where He wants you. I know He will show you and bless you even in the process. :-)

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